Cold weather starter for diesel engines



March 22, 1955 c. EDWARDS COLD WEATHER STARTER FOR DIESEL ENGINES Filed May 27, 1953 ATTCI RN EYS 7 8 1 1.. mm a w W a 1 i Z! 3 1 LE ad 44 w c 5 K? d \Y a y w m X e v 2% w z m. B 1 z a 3 ll a E I Ill 0 m a a W. 9 my win, 7 1 we a a w h! 1 2w 9 WW 2 1 Hi y i v W 3 United States Patent COLD WEATHER STARTER FOR DIESEL ENGINES Leonard C. Edwards, Sapulpa, Okla.

Application May 27, 1953, Serial No. 357,700

2 Claims. (Cl. 123-187.5)

This invention relates to an engine, such as a diesel engine, and more particularly to a mechanism for facilitating the starting of the engine, especially during cold weather.

The object of the invention is to provide a priming apparatus which contains highly volatile fluid such as ethyl ether and oil, whereby an engine can be started quickly and easily, even in cold weather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cold weather starter for engines which includes volatile ingredients under pressure and wherein the volatile mixture is released directly into the air intake of the engine to help start the engine when the engine is cold, the primer of the present invention being easily installed in an engine and wherein no fumes will get in the cab of trucks and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cold weather starter which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an air filter with conduits extending therefrom, and showing the present invention attached to the conduits, parts of the air filter being broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates a conventional air filter which includes a housing 11 having filter elements 12 therein. A cap 14 may be mounted on the top of the housing 11, and air is sucked in by the engine manifold and the air follows the path indicated by the arrows in Figure 1. The air leaving the air filter 10 passes through a first conduit section 15, and arranged in end to end relation with respect to the first conduit section 15 is a second conduit section 16. The conduit section 16 may lead to the engine carburetor.

The present invention is directed to a primer or cold weather starter 17 so that the engine which may be a diesel engine will start even in very cold weather. The cold weather starter 17 includes a curved body member 18 which may be hollow and which is interposed between the pair of conduit sections 15 and 16. The body member 18 may be made of a pair of similar sections which are bolted together by securing elements, and depending from the bottom of the body member 18 and secured thereto is a cup 20. A container 21 is detachably connected to the cup 20. Thus, there is provided in the cup a pair of opposed bayonet slots 22 which are adapted to be engaged by pins 23 extending from the container 21. Thus, by rotating the container 21 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Figure l, the pins 23 can be moved to become disengaged from the slots 22 whereby the container 21 can be removed when it is to be refilled or replaced.

A means is provided for securing the cold weather starter in place, and this means comprises a bracket 24 which may be secured as by welding to the pipe section 16. A similar curved bracket 25 is secured to the other pipe section 15, and suitable securing elements such as bolt and nut assemblies 19 extend through the brackets 24 and 25 and through the body member 18 for securing the cold weather starter in place, Figures 1 and 2.

The lower portion of the body member 18 is provided with a bore 26, and extending vertically through the central portion of the body member 18 is a tune 27. A plunger 28 is slidably mounted in the tube 27, and a stem or pin 29 is carried by the lower end of the plunger 28. A collar 30 is mounted on the upper end of the plunger 28, and a coil spring 31 abuts the collar 30 for normally urging the plunger 28 into its raised position as shown in Figures 2 and 4. A knob 32 extends into the collar 30, and a handle 33 is secured to the knob 32, the handle 33 being pivotally connected to a support member 34 by a pin 35. Thus, by manually pivoting the handle 33 the plunger 28 can be depressed to permit volatile fluid such as ethyl ether and oil to pass into the conduit 16 whereby the engine can be started with ease even in cold weather.

Slidably mounted in the casing 21 is a container or can 36 which is adapted to hold the mixture of ethyl ether and oil under pressure. A coil spring 37 is provided for normally urging the container 36 into its raised position, and a washer 38 is interposed between the top of the container 36 and the cup 20 for providing an air tight seal. A neck 39 extends upwardly from the container 36, and the neck 39 includes an annular wall having openings 40 which are arranged in registry with openings 41 so that vapor can pass selectively from the container 36 through the registering openings 40 and 41 into the interior of the body member and then to the pipe section 16.

A valve means is provided for controlling discharge of the vapor from the container 36, and this valve means comprises a reciprocating or sliding valve 43 which is mounted in the neck 39. A washer 42 is mounted on the top of the valve 43, and the valve 43 is provided with a passageway 44 which is adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the registering openings 40 and 41, there being a passageway 45 arranged at right angles with respect to the passageway 44. An aperture 46 is arranged in the top of the neck 39 so that when the plunger 28 is depressed, the stem 29 will extend through the aperture 46 and engage the washer 42 to move the valve 43 downwardly whereby the passageway 44 will register with the openings 40 and 41 so that the vapors will be permitted to flow through the registering apertures and enter the air stream to the manifold and onto the carburetor.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a cold weather starter has been provided which is especially suitable for use with various engines such as diesel engines. In use, the container 36 containing ethyl ether and oil under pressure is positioned so that its pins 23 engage the bayonet slots 22 in the collar 20. Then, during cold weather by manually actuating the handle 33, the plunger 28 will be depressed to cause the pin 29 to pass through the aperture 46 and move the valve 43 downwardly from the position shown in Figure 4. When the valve 43 moves downwardly the volatile vapors will be able to pass in the direction of arrows through the passageway 45 and then through the passageway 44 and then through the registering openings 40 and 41 into the conduit or pipe 16. This highly volatile mixture can be used to start the engine which may be a diesel engine with case. When pressure on the handle 33 is released, the spring 31 will return the parts to the position shown in Figure 4 so that the gases or vapors will not pass into the manifold or carburetor except when desired.

The mixture of ethyl ether and oil is released directly into the air intake so that engines can be easily started even when the temperature gets very cold. There are very few working parts to get out of order and it is easy and simple to manufacture. The ethyl ether and oil in the container 36 are under pressure. The present invention can be used for starting various engines such as diesel engines, and the vapors pass into the intake suction pipe 16 leading to the engine. The handle 33 need only be actuated for a few seconds and the device is not used while the engine is running. The cans 36 may be purchased or dispensed in sealed condition and the empty cans may be discarded when empty and a new can can be inserted in the unit. The device can be readily installed and the fumes will not get in the cab of trucks and engines can be started easily and quickly. Since the material in the container is under pressure, the valve 43 will close when the plunger 28 is released.

I claim:

1. In combination, an air filter, a first conduit section extending from said air filter, a second conduit section arranged in end to end relation with respect to said first section and adapted to lead to an engine, a primer interposed between said pair of conduit sections, said primer including an arcuate hollow body member having its central portion open and communicating with said conduit sections, a cup secured to the bottom of said body member and provided with a pair of opposed bayonet slots, :1 casing depending from said cup and including a pair of pins for detachably engaging said slots, a container for holding a mixture of highly volatile material slidably mounted in said casing, a coil spring abutting said container, there being a bore in the lower portion of said body member, a neck extending upwardly from said container through said bore and including an annular side wall provided with openings and a top wall provided with an aperture, a vertically disposed tube extending centrally through said body member, a plunger slidably mounted in said tube and including a stem mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said aperture, the lower portion of said tube having openings registering with the openings in said neck, a valve slidably mounted in said neck and including a passageway mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said registering openings, there being a vertically disposed passageway in said valve communicating with said first named passageway.

2. In combination, an air filter, a first conduit section extending from said air filter, a second conduit section arranged in end to end relation with respect to said first section and adapted to lead to an engine, a primer interposed between said pair of conduit sections, said primer including a hollow body member having its central portion open and communicating with said conduit sections, a cup secured to said body member and provided with a pair of slots, a casing depending from said cup and in eluding a pair of pins for detachably engaging said slots, a container for holding a mixture of highly volatile material slidably mounted in said casing, resilient means abutting said container, there being a bore in the lower portion of said body member, a neck extending upwardly from said container through said bore and including a side wall provided with openings and a top wall provided with an aperture, a tube extending centrally through said body member, a plunger slidably mounted in said tube and including a stem mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said aperture, the lower portion of said tube having openings registering with the open ings in said neck, a valve slidably mounted in said neck and including a passageway mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said registering openings, there being a passageway in said valve communicating with said first named passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,041 Mercer Aug. 25, 1925 2,364,356 Greathouse Dec. 5, 1944 2,516,787 Moody July 25, 1950 2,590,445 Moody Mar. 25, 1952 2,641,240 Levine June 9, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,252 Great Britain Jan. 15, 1914 

